Electrical connecting and sealing device



1949' c. D. VAN FLEET 2,490,328

ELECTRICAL CONNECTING AND SEALING DEVICE Filed Dec. 29, 1945 2Sheets-Sheet l 22 CONDO/T kfl/ofl 7Iu7' GAS/ 57 E j 26 C'ONDUIT E Dec.6, 1949 c. D. VAN FLEET ELECTRICAL CONNECTING AND SEALING DEVICE 2Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed Dec. 29, 1945 k k kqi buvivmv kxQNIOU M W W M mPatented Dec. 6, 1949 ELECTRICAL CONNECTING AND SEALING DEVICE ClarenceDilts Van Fleet, Somerville, N. J., as-

signor to Standard Oil Development Company, a corporation of DelawareApplication December 29, 1945, Serial No. 638,425

1 Claim.

1 This invention relates to the making of explosion-prooi electricalcircuits, and in particular to an improved device for sealing circuitbreakers from the general wiring system.

In the prior art. devices called sealing condulets have been made formaking a gas-tight connection in electric circuits. These condulets havebeen used, for example, for sealing circuit breakers and similarequipment from the general wiring systems in industrial layouts. Thissealing is necessary to prevent hazards of explosion which may occurwhen electrical circuit breakers and similar equipment are exposed tocombustible gases as a result of leakage of such materials through thegeneral wiring conduits.

In general, these condulets are small pieces of metal piping internallythreaded at both ends and with an internally threaded branch openingnear one end of the pipe. Thus, these devices have been made to permitunder easily adjustable conditions the sealing in the device of thewires of the general wiring system from the wires connected to thecircuit breaker by pouring from the side opening a sealing material suchas sealing compound around the wires of the general wiring system afterconnection has been made of the wires to the circuit breaker. The wiresfrom the general wiring system and the circuit breaker project into thecondulet from connecting elements secured in the ends of the condulet.The branch opening is usually closed by the insertion of a plug threadedfor attachment upon the threads of the branch opening.

The device of the present invention is an improved form of the prior artcondulet. Essentially it consists of a similar piece of metal pipingwith an internally threaded branch opening near one end. At least oneend of the piping is externally threaded for connection directly orthrough a gasket to a union nut for subsequent connection through aconnecting element to one end of the electric circuit system. When onlyone end of the piping is externally threaded, t other end is internallythreaded for attachment of the connecting element carrying the wiresfrom the other end of the electric circuit system. When the piping isexternally threaded at both ends for union nuts, connection may be madedirectly or through a gasket to the connecting element from both ends ofthe electric circuit. This one-piece condulet thus takes the place ofthe prior art type of condulet and at least one of the previously usedconnecting elements to the electric circuit'since the external threadingof the condulet permits its connect d y 170 t e 2 circuit breaker.Moreover, in view of the union connections of this improved form ofcondulet, the device can be opened and the circuit breakers removed andreplaced without breaking the sealed condulet up to that point.

In order that the invention may be understood more clearly, illustrationis presented or the following embodiments illustrated in theaccompanying drawings and further described as follows. In the drawingsand description, similar numerals refer to similar parts.

In Figure 1, a condulet having one end externally threaded and the otherend internally threaded is shown. In Figure 2, a condulet externallythreaded at both ends is shown.

In Figure 1, the condulet iii is shown as consisting of metal pipinghaving external threads l2 and internal threads I 4 and a branch opening16 with internal threads l8. A union nut 20 has internal threads adaptedfor connection upon the external threads l2. The union nut is alsointernally threaded for connection of the conduit 22 from the circuitbreaker. Between the end of the piping l0 and the sealing surface of theunion nut 20 a gasket 24 is placed. The internal threaded portion i4 isadapted for connection to the conduit 26 from the electric circuit. Anexternally threaded plug 28 is shown as making connection upon thethreads IS on the branch opening ii.

In- Figure 2, metal piping I0 is shown as being externally threaded atboth ends as indicated by the reference numeral i2. A branch opening itis shown with internal threads l8 with an accommodating plug 28therefor. Over the threads i2, union nuts 20 are fitted. The union nutsare also internally threaded for connections to the conduit elements 22and 26 respectively.

From a commercial viewpoint, this one-piece form of condulet of theinvention is less costly and saves space and work in industrial wiring.Thus the sealing union condulet of this invention presents advantagesover prior art equipment in the number of fittings required, the shortertime of making a gas-tight connection and the saving of space in thewiring layout.

What is claimed is:

In a conduit system for elements of an electrical circuit, a means formaking a separable, gas-tight connection between units of said conduitsystem, comprising a body member, engageable between adjacent ends oftwo units of said system by means of an annular outwardly flangedcoupling on at least one of said unit ends, and an inwardly flangedunion nut threaded on said body member to engaze said couplin: influid-tight relation REFERENCES CITED with said body member. an enlargedpassageway laterally through one wall of said body member. g g fi z fgam of record m the a fluid-tight removable cover plate for said passageway, and port means in said plate, including 5 UNITED STATES PATENTSa removable closure therefor, for introducing a solidiflable fluidmaterial through said plate into 3231 1? Jul 33 1898 the body membertoseal the space therein, around 930'o6o Ewan A y 1909 the elements ofan electrical circuit carried in said 9603! vogel l;- 1910 system1,681,097 Church Aug. 14, 1928 1,717,640 Weiszerber June 18, 1929CLARENCE DILTB VAN FLEET.

